There are affiliate links in here. I get a small commission if you purchase through them at no extra cost to you
One of my favorite series reading experiences was reading The Lying Game books by Sara Shepard. I still remember reading one then finishing it and immediately getting the next from the library the summer I read them.
I also will never, ever forget how the series ends (don’t worry, I won’t say here) because I Googled to see how many books were in the series when I was getting close to what I thought was the end.
Instead of just finding out how many books are in the series, I had the whole ending spoiled. I’m still mad about it but it doesn’t make me love the series any less.
So here I am to tell you how many books are in and the order of The Lying Game series WITHOUT spoiling the ending.
I have the first book synopsis at the top and the rest at the very end. I’ll very clearly mark the section where things may be spoiled if you haven’t read the first book or any of the series.
- Pango is my go-to for finding secondhand books affordably, sold by other readers! If you’re a new user, you can use HEYIMREADING at checkout for $5 off your first $10 purchase! Check out Pango Books here!
- Thrift Books is one of the places I check when I’m looking for a book and want it cheap. It’s great if you like buying used books. With this you can get a free book after spending $30!
- If you want to listen to some of these, consider trying Audible! You can get your first month free (one free book) plus tons of others they have for free. Get that Audible deal here.
- If you want to read more on your Kindle but don’t want to buy books, Kindle Unlimited is a good option. If you read a lot and like to read more than just new releases (especially romance), it could be worth it. Get Kindle Unlimited here!
- Shop my collection of bookish goodies on Etsy! These aren’t my shop items, but other shops I’ve curated into a book-themed collection. Shop my Etsy bookish goodies here!
- Shop my book lists here! You can find every book list I have on Bookshop.org (except my monthly round-ups) and I add everything I can but they occasionally won’t have some. I do occasionally add extras though. If any lists are empty, they’ll be filled in shortly! Shop my bookshop.org book lists here.
The Lying Game book series in order
Here are the six books (plus two prequels) in The Lying Game series in order. I’ve included the synopsis for everything after book one at the end of this post to avoid any major spoilers up here.
I listed them in publishing order, but I would personally wait to read the prequels until after I finished the series.
- The Lying Game (book 1)
- Never Have I Ever (book 2)
- Two Truths and a Lie (book 3)
- Hide and Seek (book 4)
- The First Lie (prequel 1)
- Cross My Heart, Hope to Die (book 5)
- True Lies (prequel 2)
- Seven Minutes in Heaven (book 6)
The Lying Game book 1 synopsis
Someone killed Sutton Mercer and now her long lost twin sister, Emma, is desperate to know what happened. But the only way to know that is to take her place. Can she keep up the charade even though her murderer is watching?
Who wrote The Lying Game book series?
The Lying Game series was written by Sara Shepard but there is another standalone book called The Lying Game by Ruth Ware which is also very popular.
How many books are in The Lying Game series?
There are six books in The Lying Game series plus two prequel books. I haven’t read those two yet but I didn’t know about them until right now! (Onto the TBR they go). So in total there are eight books, but just six in the main series.
Do you need to read The Lying Game book series in order?
Yes! This is definitely a series that needs to be read in order since the mystery is unraveled throughout the entire series. The two prequel books aren’t necessary to read at all if you don’t want to.
Are all of The Lying Games books published already?
Yup! The first book was published in December 2010 followed by the show in 2011, and the last was published in July 2013, so basically two books per year! Here is when they were published:
- December 2010
- August 2011 (book two and show premier)
- February 2012
- July 2012
- December 2012 (prequel)
- February 2013
- June 2013 (prequel)
- July 2013
Is The Lying Game show the same as the books?
There is one major (not a spoiler!) difference between The Lying Game show and books: Sutton is alive. In the books she’s not. I’m sure if the show continued this list would be a lot longer. Here are a few other differences:
- Justin and Derek are in the show, but not the books.
- The books are set in Tucson and the show is set in Phoenix.
- There is no student-teacher relationship in the books (thank sweet baby Jesus).
- The parents are more involved in the show than the books.
- The Lying Games in the book are an actual thing the girls did, but in the show it takes a back seat. It’s not nonexistent, but not as relevant as the books.
Is The Lying Game show worth watching?
Yes and no. I love the show. It’s a little cheesy but I love it. However, it was canceled after the second season so it ends on a cliffhanger. If you don’t like that, I’d skip it. The theme song though, is 10/10. (I’m actually watching it as I write this post).
Is The Lying Game series worth reading?
Yes! I absolutely loved this series. I devoured the whole series when I read it and even bought it last year to reread it! That said, if you don’t like teen murder mystery drama books, then this might not be for you.
I don’t remember much specifically about them, but if they’re anything like the Pretty Little Liars books, they’re probably a product of their time so keep that in mind.
Other books by Sara Shepard
Sara Shepard has a lot of books. And I want to read them all! I’m pretty far into it but I do have a few left (marked with * below). She’s one of those authors that I will just always read anything from.
- Pretty Little Liars (series, seventeen books)
- The Amateurs (series, three books)
- The Perfectionists (series, two books)
- The Heiresses
- The Elizas
- Influence
- Reputation*
- Everything We Ever Wanted*
- Wait For Me*
- Safe in My Arms*
- The Visibles*
- Nowhere Like Home*
Other posts you may like
Pretty Little Liars books in order
THERE WILL BE SPOILERS PAST THE FIRST BOOK BELOW THIS POINT!
Never Have I Ever (book 2)
Sutton is dead and her long lost twin sister is Emma is filling in her shoes, but only a few people know. She’s playing the part of Sutton as best as she can while investigating Sutton’s murder, but the killer wants her to keep pretending. No crime means no investigation, after all.
Two Truths and a Lie (book 3)
Emma is finally getting the hang of both being Sutton and tracking down her murderer. But Sutton was no angel and left a long list of enemies behind, Thayer Vega, who’s currently missing, being one of them. Emma has no idea why everyone thinks it’s Sutton’s fault he’s gone but she’s about to find out when he shows up at her door.
Hide and Seek (book 4)
All Sutton can do is watch from the grave as Emma tries to find her killer, and why they killed her. But the deeper she digs, the more sinister the truth seems to be. And the killer might be closer to home than expected.
Cross My Heart, Hope to Die (book 5)
Emma isn’t the only new person in town after being lured to Tucson by Sutton’s killer. Becky, their birth mother, is back, too. As Emma gets closer to the truth about the night Sutton was killed, she learns Becky has her own dark secrets.
Seven Minutes in Heaven (book 6)
After weeks pretending to be Sutton, her body is found and Emma is the number one suspect. Now the pressure is on to find the killer before she finds herself being bars.
The First Lie (prequel 1)
Over the summer before junior year, before Sutton is killed, Thayer Vega returns from soccer camp and in just two short months he’s gone from being her best friends scrawny brother to hot soccer god. He also has a major ego and a major bone to pick with The Lying Game girls.
To bring him back down to Earth, Sutton’s friends convince her to string him along so she can publicly humiliate him. Instead, she starts to get to know the real Thayer and wonders if this is really a game to her at all.
True Lies (prequel 2)
Set just months before Sutton’s demise after junior year, she copes with her secret boyfriend’s disappearance by rebounding with Garrett Austin. The problem? Garrett is Charlotte’s ex. An annoyed Charlotte demands Sutton’s sister, Laurel, join their clique, triggering a prank challenge. To keep Laurel out, Sutton must outsmart her, but her younger sister proves a formidable opponent with surprising tricks.
Have you read The Lying Game book series? What did you think of it? Did you watch the show? What did you think of that? Which did you like more?
